The Affair of the Necklace Page #5

She places an object around your neck.

It is made of gold.

Cagliostro spun a divine prognostication.

Did my vision hold meaning for you?

The seal of the prime minister

is in the form of a medallion.

A medallion of pure gold.

Long life, my friend.

Did all go well?

- I was brilliant, of course.

From the queen.

It is a dispatch from Her Majesty.

The item of interest is to be turned

over to her messenger.

Do you have confidence in him?

- His name is Argille.

He attends the queen's chambers.

May I?

I'm responsible for this object

to the sum of one million gold louis.

Do you have confidence in this man?

Answer carefully.

You will be held accountable.

Monsieur Argille is not without faults.

Yet when it comes to his devotion,

no one can compare.

You'll no doubt reap untold rewards

for what you've done.

To Jeanne, the whole necklace

was not as glorious...

...as what its parts could yield.

It was a means to an end.

And though I will not justify

the actions of the young countess...

...I later came to understand her reasoning.

Who does not aspire to take back

what was taken from them?

Who does not dream of returning home?

Welcome.

- Thank you.

Jeanne, you promised to take me

for a ride today.

Have you forgotten?

My dear wayward countess:

It's been weeks since

my meeting with Her Majesty...

...and still I've not heard a word.

Your continued absence from Paris

has put me ill at ease.

Wherever you may be, I trust you

spend your time furthering my cause.

With the Feast of the Assumption

upon us...

...I must insist you correspond soon...

...and apprise me

of Her Majesty's disposition.

Until then, I shall keep

my anxious thoughts at bay...

...with my duties of providing the people...

...with spiritual guidance.

For the evening.

- Brocade, is it?

The finest.

- Very nice. What else?

I'll see it all.

Everything, everything.

With your eyes.

And, of course...

- Is this your daughter?

Yes, count, my eldest.

- You're very lovely.

Have you ever considered

life in the theater?

The plasterer couldn't reach

that high edifice.

I designed a system of pulleys

so he could be elevated.

Fascinating, Your Majesty.

Stunningly resourceful.

Compliments of Bhmer

and Bassenge jewelers.

It is a bejeweled amulet.

A token of our appreciation

for your patronage these many years.

That jeweler has been grinning like

a jackal all afternoon. Now this.

'Madame, we are at the pinnacle

of happiness with our arrangement.

We take satisfaction in knowing

the most beautiful creation...

...will adorn the most exemplary of queens.'

I'm not sure what to make of it.

I think only one explanation will suffice.

Monsieur Bhmer has gone quite mad.

Her Majesty was at times

conveniently naive...

...and I wanted to count the incident

as just another act of a fool.

But in a growing climate of unrest,

no one could be trusted.

Debauchers and whores in fine silk.

The king and that harlot,

Antoinette...

...drain the life's blood

of our national character.

Oh, God.

Quite a lot of excitement.

Yes. Desmoulins speaks

with such fiery passion.

Fiery passion happens to be

the very attribute I hold most dear.

Pardon me, monsieur.

- Yes?

I wasn't bothering the mademoiselle.

A few of the merchants inform me

that you've been selling diamonds.

I'm a licensed broker of precious stones.

I trade frequently here and in Amsterdam.

Then monsieur wouldn't mind

producing credentials.

Of course.

They're in my rooms at the hotel.

Care to accompany me there

to clear this up?

I think we should.

- Well, then.

A striking outfit. Very sharp.

Stop.

Sainted mother of Jesus.

I nearly soiled myself.

Clever to run back here.

That way they can have us all.

Shut up or I'll cut that tongue.

Get off me.

- Nicolas.

You've had a scare.

I know you're upset...

...but you must maintain

your temper, please.

You won't sell diamonds in Paris anymore.

Agreed?

Say it.

Agreed.

We must leave the country.

Once this unravels...

...Rohan'll have our heads staked.

Let us not forget the cardinal's

letters to the queen.

This one proclaiming his love

would be damaging.

Suppose the cardinal doesn't give a damn?

We've laid our plans.

Now we must trust in them.

Jeanne would have to enter into

a new arrangement with the cardinal.

Patronage to blackmail.

Colleen?

The cardinal is about to find out

he was the victim of a fraud.

Then he'll want blood.

But he'll be told, should harm

come to us, these letters...

...will get to the house minister.

It's too dangerous.

I will not be a part of this.

I'm sorry to hear that.

I wanted to properly thank you...

...for this very important task.

Your trusted servant, countess.

Dear Monsieur Bhmer:

I'm a friend who writes to warn you...

...of a plot involving yourself,

Cardinal Rohan...

...and a particular necklace.

Antoinette has no interest in the necklace.

When Cardinal Rohan realizes this...

...he'll no longer stand as guarantor.

The countess knew Monsieur Bhmer

to be a man of nervous disposition.

She felt he'd head straight

to Cardinal Rohan.

Once the cardinal

realized he'd been duped...

...he would pay off the jewelers

to avoid humiliation.

History would have proven

her plan sound...

...had a certain individual's suspicions...

...not come into play.

Give way, we have important business.

Are you deaf?

Give way.

Minister Breteuil.

What an unexpected appearance.

You've been acting strangely.

- I act no differently than always.

Where are you going?

Pressing engagement with

a confidential client.

Urgent rendezvous,

secretive clientele?

I had no idea your position

was so full of intrigue.

You'll never find a more

clandestine profession.

I'm fascinated, Monsieur Bhmer.

I want to learn more.

It makes perfect sense.

What better occasion than the feast

to announce the new prime minister?

You think so?

Why else would the king and queen

summon you in such a manner?

It is an historic day for the house of Rohan.

Extremely historic, Your Eminence.

You look troubled, Your Eminence.

Nothing must mar this day.

I want my mind clear to enjoy

what I have so courageously earned.

There's something we must do.

Under what conditions

was this statement made?

A verbal interrogation. It lasted

all of a minute before Bhmer...

...gushed forth what he knew

like a ruptured water gut.

Do you deny your participation in this?

No.

Do you disagree with anything?

- I do not.

Then you admit you used

the queen's good name...

...to acquire this necklace

for your own gains?

For my own gains?

I most vehemently deny it,

Your Majesty.

How could you believe that I would

choose you as my emissary?

You, to whom I have not addressed

a word in nearly 10 years.

Do you not remember, Your Majesty?

Your behavior shows something

familiar I do not care for.

Countess.

Leave us.

I beseech you. For the sake

of the good name of my family...

...hush this matter up until-

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